Not Afraid, Are You Evans?
by marauderette-47
Summary: Lily lost a bet to Sirius, and now the fiery redhead must accompony James on a walk through the Forbidden Forest. But it appears she's left her Gryffindor courage at home, and it's up to James to save her from all the villains, ruffians, and...rats? R&R!


**Not Afraid, Are You Evans?**

**By: marauderette-47**

**Disclaimer: I don't own HP:(**

**A/N: Written for the Princess Bride Quotes Competition on the HPFC(: Hope everyone enjoys!**

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><p>Lily Evans found it difficult to catch her breath - it was the first time she'd ever been so close to the Forbidden Forest. It didn't help any that James Potter was standing directly behind her, practically breathing down her neck. Damn that Sirius Black and his stupid bets!<p>

"Not afraid, are you Evans?" chuckled James, coming around to face Lily full-front. The sun was just beginning to set, and Lily swore she heard something growling within the dark trees. She was internally shuddering, but she'd never let Potter see _that_.

"Not at all," replied Lily confidently, holding her head up high. "I just don't see the point - what's taking a walk in the Forbidden Forest going to prove?"

"Two things, my dear Flower," said James, in a voice that scarily sounded like Professor McGonagall's. "For one thing, going into this dark and creepy forest will prove that you _do _have some Gryffindor courage. And taking a walk in it with me proves that we _can _go on a date without chewing each other's heads off."

"I knew it!" shrieked Lily, backing away from James several paces. "I _knew _this was all some hoax to get me to go out with you, Potter! Where's Black hiding? He jinxed the bet, didn't he! Oh, I swear, when I find that slobbery little-"

"Whoa, Lils -" laughed James, putting his hands on Lily's shoulders to calm her down. If anything, the contact between the Gryffindor Chaser and the fiery redhead was only putting the latter in a worse mood. "Relax, will you? Let's just get it over with, and then you can go back to the common room and hurt Padfoot however you'd like."

Lily huffed, but backed down. Gryffindor courage - right. She had to have it somewhere within her - if she didn't, she would have been sorted into Ravenclaw or - or even _Hufflepuff_. Hufflepuff! Swallowing hard, Lily turned back to the Forest she'd been taught to fear ever since she was eleven. She managed barely above a whisper, "James...we'll never survive."

"Nonsense!" exclaimed James, throwing a muscled arm casually around Lily. "You're only saying that because no one ever has!"

Lily immediately shook James off of her, and gaped at him with her mouth open. Her face was as white as a ghost's, and her eyes were wider than an owl's. "No one's ever survived the Forbidden Forest?" she shrieked, turning around to look back at the Castle. How she wanted to be there, curled in her favorite chair, reading her favorite book, and not with-

"Relax!" laughed James. "I was only joking, Evans - if no one ever survived, then how would we know all of the terrible and creepy things that live in the forest? I mean, think about it Lils - _Hagrid _comes in here all the time. Hagrid! If _he _can do it, you surely can."

"That's true," said Lily, taking a steadying breath. "All right then," she declared with false enthusiasm. "Let's go!"

Lily led the way, and James followed behind her like a puppy. They were barely three steps within the actual forest before an owl hooted, and Lily shrieked. Terrified, she jumped into James's arms, and hid her face in his neck. Thankfully, James had amazing reflexes, and was able to catch Lily. Trying to ignore the butterflies in his stomach at her touch, he gently set her back on her feet, and politely ignored the blush that was creeping up on her cheek. She didn't speak for a few more moments, and the twocontinued their way through the Forbidden Forest.

"You know, this isn't that bad," mused James, pretending to be interested in the foliage. "The trees are actually quite lovely."

Lily gave James a look that clearly stated that she thought he was nuts, and they continued through the forest. To be honest, the forest really wasn't that bad - it made Lily wonder why it was forbidden to students at all. She had yet to see anything the least bit frightening, so why couldn't it just be open on weekend or someth-

"Lily! Look out!" called James, pointing to a spot not far from where Lily was. Lily stopped her steady pace immediately and froze, staring all around her for the imminent danger that James obviously sensed. She tried to look in the direction that James was pointing, but it was too dark, and all she could see where bushes...and two little dots of light, within those bushes...wait...two little dots of light?

Lily shrieked as the lights began to move closer to her. In fact, the dots weren't lights at all - rather, two beady little eyes on the size of an _enormous _rat - easily five times the size of her yellow lab at home. The rat let out a menacing growl, and began to stalk forward slowly, it's eyes fixed on Lily. Lily did not move, too terrified to do anything but stare at the beast. James, however, was _not _so frozen, and he leapt forward with courage.

"Get away from her!" he demanded, forgetting about his wand completely. He jumped in front of Lily and tackled the rat, forcing it onto the ground. He pounded it with his fist a few times, and aimed a kick at someplace that _must _have hurt. He head-butted it, and Lily could hear the _crack _as the skulls made contact. She winced, and hoped that James hadn't gotten hurt, _especially _not because of her. The rat bit James right on the shoulder, but the latter hardly even winced. He was panting as he fought off the rat, not thinking about anything except Lily's safety.

Finally, the fight became too much for the rodent of unusual size, and it ran away quickly where it came from. James was lying pathetically on the ground, breathing hard. Lily immediately rushed forward, and pressed a hand to the bite mark on his shoulder that was bleeding.

"James! James, are you alright?" she breathed, quickly taking out her wand and casting a healing charm on the wound. It instantly began to get better, and some of the color began to return to James's face.

"Brilliant," he mumbled, trying to get up. But he was too weak, and he fell back down, this time his head landing right on Lily's lap. "Would you take care of me, Evans?" he smoldered.

Lily rolled her eyes, but smiled affectionately. She ran her fingers through James's black messy hair a few times, before quietly whispering, "Thank you, James. You saved my life."

"Wasn't a problem," said James hoarsley, smiling at Lily. "Just next time, you may want to move or something - to think! If I hadn't been here, you would have been rodent chow!"

"You're right," Lily admitted sheepishly, looking away. "But you _were _here, so...thanks."

"Anytime, Evans." laughed James. Lily helped James to his feet, and let him lean on her as they made their way back to Hogwarts, laughing and joking all the way.

"Wow. He's really laying it on thick, isn't he?" came a voice from the bushes, who had watched the entire exchange eagerly. "You didn't even bite him that _hard_, did you, Wormtail?"

"Honestly," replied a second voice. "I think he did more damage to me!"

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><p><strong>Ta-da! Not very long, but it was a blast to writeXD Reviews are encouraged &amp; welcomed! Thanks for reading! Mwah!<strong>

**Until next time, marauderette-47**

_**Mischief Managed...**_


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